Junior Assuncao vs. Eddie Yagin
The fight was the UFC debut of Eddie Yagin and the featherweight debut of the returning veteran Junior Assuncao. The Fight The first round began. Both men had their hands low early, sizing each other up. They clearly didn't like each other. Assuncao was doing some hip movements early, feinting. Four thirty. The crowd was ALREADY restless again. Assuncao kept switching stances. Four fifteen. Assuncao kept trying that high front kick. Four minutes remaining. Assuncao blocked a hard high kick easily. Three thirty-five. Assuncao was taunting crouching lower, he landed a leg kick. Three fifteen. Three minutes as Yagin stepped in narrowly missing a right hand. He blocked a high kick. Assuncao shot and got a single to half-guard. Yagin regained guard. Two thirty-five. Assuncao defended a triangle easily turning towards side control. He was stacking Yagin. Assuncao landed a left hammerfist there. Two fifteen. Yagin worked lefts from the bottom, ate four hard left hammerfists. Assuncao landed a left elbow. Assuncao elbowed the knee and landed three big lefts there. Yagin kicked him off and they broke apart. One thirty. Yagin stepped in landing a right. One fifteen. One minute. Assuncao blocked a high kick as the crowd booed. Yagin blocked a high kick. Assuncao got a nicely timed double. Rogan agreed. He was in the butterflies, Yagin landed five right elbows from the bottom. Yagin closed guard. Fifteen. He worked high guard. Yagin landed three right elbows from the bottom. The first round ended. 10-9 Assuncao but relatively close. The second round began and they touched gloves this time. Yagin faked a flying knee. Assuncao missed a jumping high kick. Four thirty-five. Yagin stuffed a single kneeing the face, actually missed it apparently. Four fifteen. Yagin blocked a body kick. Scattered boos. Four minutes. More widespread boos, very loud now. Yagin stuffed a double, Assuncao had the standing back. Yagin stuffed a trip, Assuncao got one hook standing. Three thirty. Assuncao lost it and turned to the clinch. Three fifteen. Assuncao broke kneeing the body. Three minutes left. Yagin stuffed a telegraphed single easily. Yagin landed a checked inside kick. Two thirty-five. The crowd began booing again. "These guys are spending a lot of time staring at each other." Two fifteen as Assuncao landed an inside kick. Two minutes as Yagin missed a Superman punch and ate an inside kick. Yagin missed a high kick there. One thirty-five as Assuncao did a little shuffle repeatedly as the crowd booed him loudly. Yagin missed another high kick. Assuncao got a double to half-guard but Yagin had a tight guillotine. Assuncao wagged his finger no. It was deep and Assuncao escaped. One minute. Assuncao landed six right elbows to the thigh. Another there. Thirty-five. Yagin turtled up and stood eating a knee to the face. They broke. Yagin seemed a bit tired. Fifteen left as Assuncao landed an inside kick. The second round ended to boos. 10-9 Assuncao, I guess? You have to give it to somebody. The third round began and they touched gloves. Assuncao landed a leg kick and a jab. Yagin was coming for him, he stuffed a trip, Assuncao pulled half-guard and regained the butterflies. Assuncao swept and they stood and broke. Four thirty as Assuncao landed an inside kick and a left hand. Yagin was swinging wildly. Four fifteen remaining. Yagin caught a front kick and landed a counter right hook. Four minutes as Yagin defended a double working a standing guillotine. He pulled guard with it very very tight. Oh wow. Assuncao wasn't wagging his finger this time. He popped out slamming Yagin. Three thirty-five. Assuncao landed a short left elbow. He landed a right hammerfist. Three fifteen. Assuncao landed a right hammerfist and a few short left ones. Assuncao passed to half-guard with three minutes with left elbow. He landed a few left hands and four left elbows. A decent left hand and two more. Two thirty-five with a right hand and a left elbow and five decent left hands. Assuncao landed a pair of left elbows and two right hammerfists. Three left hands. Two fifteen. Assuncao landed a pair of left hands there. Assuncao landed a pair of left elbows. Two minutes with a pair of right hands and four left elbows and another left elbow. He worked the body with the right, three hard left hands. Two big righgt hammerfists. Two big left elbows. One thirty-five. Another left elbow. Assuncao worked a guillotine from the top. He landed a right elbow and another to the thigh, both of them were. Seven big left hands in under. A left elbow and three left hands. One minute. Another pair of left hands. Assuncao landed a big left hand. He talked to his corner. Another left hand and a right and another left. Thirty-five. Assuncao was slowing down a bit. He landed a right elbow to the body.. A big one to the face. Fifteen. Assuncao landed a left hand and six rights. Another. Assuncao backed off kneeing the body as the third round ended. The crowd booed, Assuncao applauded himself regardless. 10-8 Assuncao. 30-26 Assuncao. "This guy's a badass, man. I tried to finish. All the props to him," Assuncao said. 30-26, 30-26, 30-27 UD for Assuncao. The crowd booed, Assuncao raised Yagin's hand pointing at him. "You're tough, man," he said.